Norman Darmanin Demajo Nominated by MFA to contest UEFA Executive elections as Council approves reforms in Leagues format and FA Trophy

Malta Independent Friday, 14 January 2011, 00:00 Last update: about 13 years ago

In yesterday’s important MFA Council Meeting, president Norman Darmanin Demajo, photo, received nomonations from 32 clubs to contest the forthcoming elections of the UEFA Executive Committee next March. Present UEFA Executive member and former president Dr Joe Mifsud got only one nomination from Zurrieq FC.

The Council also approved many important changes in all Leagues’ format which will come into effect from next season and therefore a change in promoted and relegated clubs as from this campaign.

Overall, there will be a restructuring in the number of teams taking part in all Divisions, after unanimous agreement between all the Standing Committees.

The Premeir League teams will be up to 12 as from next season. That means that only one team will be relegated at the end of this season and three teams promoted from the First Division.

The Premier League will be played over two rounds and then the points are halved and the top six teams will play in the Championship Pool while the other six will play in the Relegation Pool.

Each Premier team will play 32 matches - an increase of 60 matches overall.

The First Division will also comprise 12 teams as from next season and only one team will be relegated at the end of the current one.

That means each First Division team will be playing 22 matches over the whole season.

The Second and Third Divsions will comprise 14 teams each as from next season but at the end of this season, five teams from the Second Divsion will be promoted to the First Division, with one team relegated to the Third Division.

The FA Trophy format will aslo see drastic changes as from next season and will be played on the English FA Cup model.

In the first round, Third Division teams and any teams from Gozo will take part. Winners will then join the First and Second Division teams with the 12 Premier teams playing in the third round, to make up the final 32.

Teams who had played in the Championship Pool the previous season will be seeded at this stage.

The present Knock out competition for Second and Third Division clubs will now be scrapped.